It was such a disappointing game. Result aside you could tell this was a rag tag team with an eye on net week. That said they should have been good enough to beat that Treviso team.

They really lacked cohesion, butchered a good few chances to win. some good breaks got butchered. We actually kicked a lot more out of our 22 than usual. The big issue for me was leadership. You could tell that Muldoon and Muldowney weren't playing for the first half.

The lack was well beaten after Buckley and White we don't really have full game props. No point singling any players out as the pack on a whole played poorly.

On the otherhand Robb and Carr stood out had decent games.

mbraz wrote: Tough to watch, as bad a result as it was, I think it could be helpful. Assuming we have not become a bad side in a week, we have had an all important wake up call before two huge games. Players who let themselves down will be busting a gut to prove a point, not to mention hopefully a few more injuries coming back into fold. Expect to less complacency, more ruthless decision making and leadership next week. I think the high flying Warriors have yet to be chastened and we may be the ones to do it.

Have to agree. Move on, learn from this and prepare for the challenge(s) that lie ahead.

This team doesn't kick enough, a strategy of running the baall doesn't mean we have to do it all the time. One clearance only by McGinty yesterday, straight to touch from outside the 22. Lam has 5 days to work and insist on that + the scrum without Buckley

but what I wanna say is : the win even with TBP wasn't that important

1) a Lbp next week wouldn't have been enough if the Leinster strong selection is able to get LBP in Ravenhill
2) a Lbp is not an easy thing to control against Glasgow, and we're not build for that
3) a Lbp is a defeat, just 1 week before the similar game against the same team, it's not all good for confidence
4) we're officially in the semi-final and didn't see any severe injuries after treviso
5) that's why I'm rather ok with the "win or die" situation, especially because with Aki Marmion Dillane Muldowney Muldoon etc back, it's a completely different team, and I claim we'll be favorite against Glasgow if White is back (White is White , Dillane is Dillane )

I only saw the first 20 odd minutes of the game and our defence looked shameful really at times.

I get and love the game plan but I suspect this was one step too far with so many changes to the team.

Having said all that, it sounds like the team should still have won and that will have really pissed Lam off.

Some will see it as a risk from him that backfired, but I do understand how he is trying to keep some players fresh and probably avoid further risk of injury.

I guess our squad depth goes only so far.

But on paper, that team should still have won. We all expected it.

Onwards and upwards. We are still in unchartered territory.

If at the start of the season someone told you we would secure a home semi final by losing to Treviso, we would have giggled like schoolgirls!!!

Next game is going to be like a cup final. Either way, it will be epic.

I am just going to enjoy the ride from here on in.

Tough to watch, as bad a result as it was, I think it could be helpful. Assuming we have not become a bad side in a week, we have had an all important wake up call before two huge games. Players who let themselves down will be busting a gut to prove a point, not to mention hopefully a few more injuries coming back into fold. Expect to less complacency, more ruthless decision making and leadership next week. I think the high flying Warriors have yet to be chastened and we may be the ones to do it.

eezipc wrote:

menacethedenis wrote: Oh and fitzgibbon is the worst ref in the league. He is utterly incompetent, come back Leighton all is forgiven

Again idiotic.
FitzGibbon is not the reason Connacht lost that game.

I never said he was, genius

Shelflife wrote: Poor performance overall with a disaster at the end . 58 secs left and you are 2 points up deep in your own half .

Ask the ref if the clock is correct.
Ask the ref have we time for the line out .
Quick chat among yourselves .
Slowly take the pen kick .
Walk to the line out
Throw to no 2
Kick ball out
Collect 4 points.

Not after timing , called this during the game .

For all the raving about Carr , he got a number of breaks that reaped nothing in the end. I felt that I'd Niyi or Healy had got the same breaks we would have scored from at least two of them. Tiernans poor effort of the Treviso no 8 for their try is one of the reasons why he hasn't been called up to Ireland .

Have to agree with that totally idiotic game management in the very last minute of the match you have possession and a line out on halfway it should have been game over. I'm sorry but a serious rollicking should be meted out to a few players after that mess. How vital are Aki and Buckley we really need people of a similar calibre who can step in.

Ok a not of perspective great season and onwards and upwards - id rather be having this result when qualified than trying. I'm my opinion the spine of our team this year and I'm breaking it into units is
FR - Denis
SR - Aly
BR - Mul
HB - Kieran
Centre- Bundee
Back 3 - Matt

No excuse tonight because as pat says no excuses you come in and do the job fill the jersey . I like to give most the benefit of the doubt so I'm not going to question ability what I do question is focus .
With the majority of the spine back I'm quietly confident against Glasgow

menacethedenis wrote: Oh and fitzgibbon is the worst ref in the league. He is utterly incompetent, come back Leighton all is forgiven

Again idiotic.
FitzGibbon is not the reason Connacht lost that game.

Lads I was not at the game but I am in Italy at a wedding. It was pathetic. Stupid. I can't understand Lams first choice. I built up this team to everyone here and we were all laughed at. Anyone who defends this is 8diotic.

Shelflife wrote: For all the raving about Carr , he got a number of breaks that reaped nothing in the end. I felt that I'd Niyi or Healy had got the same breaks we would have scored from at least two of them. Tiernans poor effort of the Treviso no 8 for their try is one of the reasons why he hasn't been called up to Ireland .

Ah don't think that's fully fair to say, especially considering Niyi butchered a potential try with a chip to nothing in first half. Actually thought Carr did well whenever he made a break then looking for support as to not get himself isolated. That said I'm not 100% He actually touched down for his try, seemed to apply pressure with his leg..

I agree about TOH, thought he went in too high for the tackle but funnily he did actually seem to force the players foot into touch - but assistant ref and Fitzgibbon didn't spot it

Gutted. Absolutely gutted by that.

Oh and fitzgibbon is the worst ref in the league. He is utterly incompetent, come back Leighton all is forgiven

That was the worst I've seen us all season. I think not starting Mul was disastrous, serious lack of leadership out there tonight, we looked like headless chickens at times, but in general there are little to no positives to take from that performance. Glasgow will annihilate us if we play anything like that next week

We were cat malogen this eve. Missed tackles, poor passes, fumbles at crucial times. Didn't seem to be any leadership at times when we were under pressure. Park it, learn 'something' from it. It was a disjointed team. Thought we were moulder at scrum. Our 1st teamer's are indispensable it seems

[/quote]As for TG4 that was a shambles of a broadcast,[/quote]
Jaysus, Broadcast was fine- I could see what was happening, what I saw was a shambles of a performance from Connacht.
Could have it almost over with 14 - nil up and cruising, one more score - with out reply at that stage, just 3 points and the game was over. Instead they allowed a poor team back into it and gave them the momentum. They allowed the same thing to happen in the second half. "Old Connacht" was what we saw, we had several chances to win the game and have a four try bonus point. Sorry if I seem harsh but if we are honest it was very disappointing. This is too good a team to allow this to happen.
Got to shake off tonight's disappointment and beat Glasgow, it can be done.